Abstract
Model fractures with variable apertures are generated by a statistical method, and water flow and tracer transport in these fractures are calculated. Tracer injection and collection are simulated for parallel and convergent flow fields. The impact of the use of different injection flow rates and the different locations of injection and collection points are studied. The results show that the transport time, dispersion, and the so‐called mass balance fracture aperture are very sensitive to the location of the injection point and the injection flow rate. These anomalous effects appear to be consistent with observations in several recent field experiments. The implications of the calculated results on the analysis of tracer tests are discussed. It is concluded that because of the stochastic nature of variable fracture apertures (and their permeabilities) a point tracer test in a fracture is not sufficient to characterize the properties of the fracture. Dispersivities and apertures calculated from different tracer tests in the same fracture may vary by orders of magnitude depending on the flow rate and the location of the injection. However, a line injection of tracer, averaged over a series of adjacent points, may avoid some of these problems.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
